Shoe-holding device.



No. 729,228. PATENTED MAY 26, 1903. A. J. SKINNER. SHOE HOLDING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 27. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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lTED STATES Patented May 26, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

SHOE-HOLDING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,228, dated May 26, 1903. Application filed February 27, 1902. Serial No. 95,923. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. SKINNER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Holding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device which is adapted to be secured on a vertical wall or similar place, on which device a shoe may be placed and properly distended and held while being brushed, blacked, and polished, the object being to provide an improved simplified device of this class which contains few parts and is easily manipulated, and of which the following is a clear and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, in the single figure of which is shown, in perspective view, a shoeholding device embodying my improvements and illustrating in dotted outline the form and the position of a shoe when held thereon relative to the parts of the device engaging it.

Referring to the drawing, 2 2 indicate the sections of the main arm of the shoe-holding device, which comprises a horizontal section,-

on the rear end of which are clip-engaging flanges a .1: for engagement with a suitable clip-plate & on a wall or other like place. On the upper edge of said horizontal section is an upstanding boss, as shown, for a purpose below described. Said arm 2 further comprises a downwardly-curved section as shown, terminating in an extremity 2 of oval form in cross-section and longitudinally-tapering, whereby said extremity is adapted to enter and engage the walls of a socket 2 in the rear end of a section 3 of a last, upon which the forward portion of a shoe is drawn, as below set forth, and whereby the shoe is properly supported for being blacked and polished.

The second structural element of said device is the lever 55, which is hung to swing on one side of said arm 2 and is thereto connected by a rivet or bolt 6. The upper extremity 7 of said lever is suitably formed for engagement with. the teeth 12 of a rack on 'a part'below described, the grooves between said teeth being indicated by 10, On the lower end of said lever 5 a curved plate 13 is connected in such manner as permits the same -7 of said lever 5.

to oscillate sufficiently to cause the surface thereof adjacent to the adjoining inner side of the shoeupper, near the heel, to come to a proper bearing thereagainst under the varying inclines from a vertical position which said lever 5 may assume when engaging shoes of different lengths or sizes. The said difference in sizes would permit the last-section 3 to enter the shoe to a greater or less extent, and thereby, through the varying contact positions of said curved plate 13 with the inner side of the shoe, as aforesaid, the swing of the lever 5 would vary more or less in degree. The means for automatically en gaging the upper extremity of said lever 5 and of holding the same in position to maintain the contact of the curved plate 13 with the inner side of a shoe when said plate shall be so placed as above set forth comprise the ratchet 8, having the peculiar body form shown, which has a lateral extension 0 at the base or lower end, through which the pivot 9 extends, on which it swings, an open fingerengaging ring at its opposite end, and a'curved ratchet-border extending from beneath said ring to or nearly to the extremity of said extension 0, It will be noted that substantially the whole body of the said ratchet 8 is hung considerably to one side of its'said pivot connection with the said boss 011 the frame 2 by the pivot-bolt S), and consequently When-no obstruction presents itself opposite the toothed border 12 of said ratchet the overhanging position thereof to one side of its said pivot causes it to swing toward the upper extremity Therefore the engagement of said ratchet-border and lever extremity may take place automatically or the ratchet may be manually operated for such engagement.

In practice the device is operated as follows for placing a shoe thereon in the position indicated by the dotted lines in the drawing, viz: The ratchet is swung to the left or away from said lever extremity 7, thus permitting the lower end of the lever 5 to be swung forwardly toward the last-section and there held while a shoe is placed on the device in the position shown, after which the lever 5 is swung nearly to the position shown and the ratchet 8 is swung upward to bring its toothed border into engagement with said lever ex- IfO tremity 7, and the plate 13 on the lower end of the lever 5 is then forced as firmly as need be against the inner side of the shoe, while the said end 7 thereof moves toward the toe of the shoe, the ratchet 8 meanwhile automatically swinging against said upper lever eX tremity, bringing the teeth thereon in position for engagement with said extremity 7, and thereby holding said lever firmly against any back-swing movement, whereby the pressure of the curved plate 13 against the inner side of the shoe would be reduced. The shoe is thus properly held in position for cleaning and blacking it.

To release the shoe, the ratchet is swung to the left quite clear of the said extremity 7 of the lever 5, the lower end of the latter and its connected plate 13 being swung toward the last-section, leaving the shoe free to be removed. v

From the foregoing explanation of the operation of the device it is to be observed that the element designed as the ratchet 8 is, properly speaking, a ratchet cam-lever, which performs a dual function-namely, as an adj uster and a locking device for the pressure or heel lever 5. The ratchet border or edge 10 12 of the said cam-lever 8 is of such formation that when the lever is forcibly drawn or pulled in the direction of the last or toe section 3 the said ratchet edge will forcibly slip or ride over the pawl-point 7 of the lever 5, thus serving to adjust or swing the lower end of said lever in a direction away from the toe or last section 3, hence tightening the holder within the shoe and stretching the vamp over the toesection 3. \V hen this pulling strain or pressure is relieved from the ratchet cam-lever 8, the point 7 will remain interlocked with the ratchet-teeth by reason of the cam formation of the lever 8 and the lateral disposition of the tooth or engaging pawl-point 7.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a shoe-holding device, a supportingarm having means for supporting a toe-last, a pressure-lever pivotally mounted on said arm and having a heel-engaging portion arranged to swing toward and from the toelast, and a cam supported by said arm and cooperating with the pressure-lever, said cam comprising means for eifecting the adjustment and locking of the lever.

2. In a shoe-holding device, a supportingarm having means for supporting a toe-last, a pressure-lever pivotally mounted on said arm and having a heel-engaging portion arranged to swing toward and from the toe-last, and a ratchet-cam supported by said arm and cooperating with the pressure-lever, said ratchet-cam comprising means for eifecting the adjustment and locking of the lever.

3. In a shoe-holding device a supportingarm having means for supporting a toe-last, a pressure-lever pivotally mounted on the arm and having a heel-engaging portion, and a cam-lever pivotally mounted on the arm at one side of the pivot for the pressure-lever and provided upon its curved cam edge with a series of ratchet-teeth adapted to have a slip and locking engagement with the pressure-lever.

4. In a shoe-holding device, a supportingarm having means for supporting a last, a pressure-lever pivotally mounted upon the arm and having at its lower end a heel-engaging portion and at its upper end a pawlpoint, and a swinging cam-lever having a finger-engaging member at one end and pivoted at its other end to the supporting-arm at one side of the pivot for the pressure-lever, said cam-lever being further provided upon its curved cam edge with a continuous series of ratchet-teeth designed to have a slip and locking engagement with the pawl-point.

' ARTHUR J. SKINNER.

Vitnesses:

H. A. OHAPIN, K. I. OLEMoNs. 

